This dish, which I pinched from Saveur's November 2012 issue of 100 Greatest Dishes, is one of the tastiest we've made in a while, beautiful straight from the oven and even better as leftovers! As I am always a big proponent of cooking with an eye to having leftovers for a second meal, this dish is a natural to cook up on a weekend and then enjoy again a few nights later as an easy re-heated dish on a busy work night.
The preserved lemons are the key here, so if you don't have any handy you'll need to make some (super easy, click here for instructions), or buy some. If you have a Whole Foods handy you can probably find them there, if not they may be tricky to source and you'll be better off making your own.
The chicken would pair well with many sides, but we made some Israeli couscous cooked in chicken stock and finished with a few handfuls of fresh mint and cilantro, some crumbled feta cheese, and a squeeze of lemon…it was delicious. Some fresh from the oven bread and a salad rounded out a truly delicious meal.
The preserved lemons, olives, ginger, saffron, and corinader make for a pretty exotic tasting dish that you will LOVE. Make this one soon!
Cheers – Steve
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 whole chicken legs (we cut ours into thigh and drumstick sections)
- 2 large yellow onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground white pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 6 ounces green olives, cracked
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
- 2 teaspoons finely minced cilantro
- 2 jarred, preserved lemons flesh removed, use only the peel cut into slices
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350℉. Heat oil in an 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper; add to pot and cook, turning, until browned, 12-15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Add onions to the pot; cook until golden, 10-12 minutes. Add spices; cook for 2 minutes. Return chicken to pot with stock; boil.
- Move chicken to oven and bake, covered, until tender, 35-40 minutes. Stir in olives, butter, parsley, cilantro, and lemons into the pot, and cook for an additional 6 minutes.
- Serve with couscous, rice or flat bread.